Honors Program Values
The Honors Program at Western is founded on five core values that shape the goals and structure of the program. Honors students implement these values in their lives inside and outside of the classroom to enhance their sense of intellectual curiosity and promote their development as students and professionals.
Risk Taking and Autonomy.
While our program demands high academic achievement, it does not mean that our students play it safe academically. Honors at Western encourages students to take the initiative in owning your educational experience. Honors courses present you with opportunities to think for yourself, free from internal or external constraints on intellectual inquiry. We encourage students to take the initiative in your own education and support you in developing the resiliency needed when stepping out of your academic comfort zone.
Social Intelligence.
It is not enough to be the “smartest one in the room” if you lack the intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence to communicate your ideas and listen to the ideas of others. Our program and its educational opportunities encourages students to develop the capacity to negotiate and navigate complex social and intellectual environments, so that Honors students are not just the “smartest ones in the room,” but the most effective communicators and collaborators in the room.
Citizenship and Community.
We seek to create elite learners without elitism and a cohort of students who learn to develop the deep connection between higher education and citizenship within a supportive academic community. Our community members are highly motivated students, faculty and staff who share an intellectual curiosity about the world around them.
The Good.
While scholars may debate the “Form of the Good” the Honors Program at Western sees it as deeply connected to the purpose and values of a Liberal Arts and Science education. We seek to create opportunities for our students to develop into virtuous, knowledgeable and articulate citizens for whom the pursuit of knowledge is integral to human development.
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We keep the Mountaineer spirit going strong within our alumni community. Whether getting together with friends at an annual event, making a donation or mentoring a student, graduates continue to play an important role in the Western community.
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